Leading retailer hosts in-store e-cig education sessions

Shoppers have flocked to the first in a new series of electronic cigarette (e-cig) education sessions at the Cheema family’s Malcolm’s store in Coventry - which features a dedicated e-cig gantry.

The first session, held in partnership with e-cig supplier Litejoy, had been a “roaring success”, director Paul Cheema told C-Store.

Future in-store sessions will be held on Friday nights.

New e-cig converts and existing vaping enthusiasts will be able to receive professional one-to-one help and advice from a range of different e-cig suppliers, including Real Trading and Philip Morris International, which owns the Vivid brand.

The success of the new gantry and first education session has also prompted Paul to expand his existing range with expensive tank products.

“Since the gantry was fitted in July we’ve developed from a convenience store that sold a few e-cigs to a convenience store and vaping products specialist and the response from local people has been amazing,” Paul said.

“The range has definitely boosted footfall and brought new shoppers in, and those shoppers are asking for even more products such as tanks. As a result we decided to expand the range with new high-end tank products.

“The tanks appeal to vaping enthusiasts and they retail for between £49 and £150! The margins are great and the bigger tanks burn e-liquids quicker which means we sell even more of those too,” Paul added.

The bespoke gantry is surrounded by green LEDs and features a media screen on which vaping demonstrations are continuously played.

Paul currently stocks around eight different e-cig brands including disposable and rechargeable products, plus a wide range of e-liquids.